21 December 2013

Pretty stewardess, handsome pilot

An early lesson in gender stereotyping from the otherwise charming Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever, first published in 1963. The book was Scarry's first as both author and illustrator, and has sold at least seven million copies. An enterprising social historian has documented how the book has been updated since this original edition, removing some of the sexism and things like references to Native American Indians. So, sexism yes, but on the other hand, bunnies!

Scarry died in Gstaad in 1994.






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